British Columbia: Tsuga Mertensiana--a good evergreen choice for native garden?

I just removed an old cherry tree in my north-east yard (Victoria, BC) to make way for an expanded native plant garden. I now have about 14 x 5' of space for new plants--an enviable position to be in, I know. There is a large chestnut on the boulevard on the south end of this newly cleared space which casts a shadow over most of it but some of it will still get about three hours of combined morning and mid afternoon hours of sun a day, and more when the chestnut is bare.

I had in mind a kind of thicket with Saskatoon Berry, tall Oregon Grape, Ocean Spray for the sunnier end. I have Vanilla Leaf, Trillium, and Mahonia nervosa, ground covers for the shady end but I'm looking for a nice 6 to 15' (preferably native) shade-tolerant evergreen to anchor the entire arrangement--my yard is very sad looking in the winter. Today I saw an attractive Tsuga mertensiana (Mountain Hemlock) and wonder if this might work. It's not exactly a Garry Oak meadow plant, but ?? Seems that most evergreen/conifer shrubs or trees need more sun. I already have rhodos in another area. Any thoughts?

 

Doesn't sound a good position for a high mountain tree that likes full sun.

Maybe try to get a Pacific Yew Taxus brevifolia? That would do well in that situation, and is a threatened native in the area.

 

Yes, now I can't recall the reason why but I do recall our local native plant community not recommending Taxus brevifolia. What about Western Hemlock- Tsuga heterophyia? I don't find it as attractive at the Mountain Hemlock but I believe it can survive in shade. Perhaps I may have to consider a non-native conifer.

 

Western Hemlock would do fine, but it'll make a huge tree in the longer term - 20 metres or more even just 30 years.

Can't see why Taxus brevifolia would not be recommended. It might need deer protection if you have many of them.

 

Although generally making a handsome and easy specimen in past years in low altitude plantings in recent times I am seeing the same problems with sucking pests on mountain hemlocks here that are long typical of other cold climate conifers such as true firs and most spruces. In addition montane species such as this look out of place when combined with lowland kinds such as those you have listed. Would be much more convincing planted in a conifer collection or rock garden with heathers and other dwarf shrubs. Probably better to continue choosing shrubs associated with the coastal ecosystem. If the scene is also currrently dominated by a single existing tree you do not want to introduce a second, smaller tree as a David and Goliath effect is then produced.

At any rate specimen shown is a poor scruffy thing in too small of a pot.

 

We do have a lot of deer on our property. There is a Taxus in my neighbourhood that is a monster--meters across and very tall, dense, and dark. Quite scary but perhaps its not the native.

Thanks Ron B for your thoughtful reply. I'm not concerned about visual competition with the chestnut, I think a small tree 20 feet away could create some balance but I agree that the combination of Mountain Hemlock with my other natives may be too much of a mixed language and mixed needs. The speciman shown is from a nursery that specializes in bonsai so it may have had extra pruning and constriction in a small pot. I still like the tree (the cones on this species are beautiful) and may put it in rocky area of my yard that has dwarf plants and a more Japanese feel but I am concerned about the pests you mentioned. I will research this.

In that light I'm still looking for a tree or tall shrub for my native area--preferable evergreen.

 

Be careful with neglected stock, it may fail to establish and grow away well after planting. There is a sinking of the Titanic effect with unhealthy woody plants wherein once they become too diminished they are not able to bounce back despite being placed in a more favorable environment.

As Carl E. Whitcomb pointed out (Establishment and Maintenance of Landscape Plants, Lacebark Inc, Stillwater) trees and shrubs can look fairly green and actually have a SEVERE nutrient deficiency. In addition to poor leaf color specimen shown also has a thin crown and will have compacted, deformed roots from sitting in that significantly undersized pot.